Tanzania is one of the most well-known countries in Africa and you always think of incredible scenery, large herds of wildlife on the endless plains of the Serengeti, the azure blue waters of the spice island, Zanzibar and happy, smiling people. Tanzania has it all, including Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.
Tanzania has always been known for safaris, long before other countries had even thought of tourism this country hosted backpackers and some pretty intrepid travelling stories could be told of early safaris in the Serengeti. These days it is far more popular amongst people wanting to experience the thrill of seeing thousands of wildebeest and zebra on the move in the great migration as they move south with the rains, plus much more.
Over a quarter of the country, is set aside for game parks and reserves. Three of its wildlife sanctuaries – the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Selous Game Reserve – have been designated World Heritage Sites. Arusha National Park encompasses Mt. Meru with rare colubus monkeys, ancient fig trees, waterfalls and and Tarangire National Park,known for baobab and acacia trees as well as the densest population of elephants in Tanzania.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a large volcanic crater and is known for being a temporary home to over 30,000 animals at any one time. It also offers you the opportunity to spot the endangered black rhino and for the more adventurous, Mt Kilimanjaro is a must.
There are so many options in Tanzania and it is a great option for first time travellers to Africa as well as those wanting to see it all, in one glorious country. The people are friendly and not only do you get the chance to meet the iconic Maasai warriors in their red cloaks but you can also meet and gain an insight into the many other cultures.
Serengeti National Park is the second largest park in Tanzania and Africa’s most famous park due to the largest concentration of game on the continent and the annual migration of millions of wildebeest. ‘Serengeti’ comes from the Maasai language meaning ‘endless plains’ and this rightly describes it.
The annual wildebeest migration is the main draw card and this is where you can experience firsthand hundreds of mammals thundering across the Serengeti plains, crossing rivers, in search of water and fresh grass. At the Mara and Grumeti River is where you see the giant crocodiles waiting on anticipation for their annual feed of wildebeest. The Great Migration is listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and for lots of visitors the highlight of their journey. It is definitely one of the world’s largest wildlife spectacles.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtakingly beautiful setting and the best place in Tanzania to see the Big Five. It is one of the most beautiful natural wildlife safari sites in the world and an exceptional place to interact with people from the Maasai tribe.
The Ngorongoro Crater and surrounding highlands together, form one of Africa’s most beautiful regions. Volcanic craters form stunning backdrops to some of the most fertile and richest grazing grounds in Africa. The most famous such crater is without question Ngorongoro, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and home to the highest density of big game in Africa.
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Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Apart from it’s spectacular setting, the park is famous for its tree-climbing lions and the vast elephant herds it was established to protect.
The shores of the lake, are surrounded by pink flamingo and attract more than 400 species of birds. Large herds of buffalo, cheetah, Masai giraffe and impala roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes.
A Lake Manyara safari is a fascinating experience, as the park also features a ground-water forest, acacia tortilis woodland and hot springs called Maji Moto. Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey and short-eared galago. Cape clawless otter, Egyptian mongoose, hippo and klipspringer are other park residents.
Located slightly off the main safari route, Tarangire National Park is a lovely, quiet park in Northern Tanzania. It is most famous for its elephant migration, birding and authentic safari atmosphere.
Tarangire is the surprise package on the Northern circuit. Often overshadowed by the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire has huge concentrations of animals in the peak months and a fraction of the visitor numbers of any of the other Northern parks. From July through to October safaris here are superb, and the atmosphere and habitats are completely different from other parks. Tarangire is surprisingly large, giving visitors the quietest game viewing environment of all the parks in the region. The South of Tarangire is especially quiet, and a great place to explore to really get away from any other travellers.
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